The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-06-14
TOUCHING BOTTOM.
A Once Proud Woman Sinks In
to the Depths.
A Story of Depravity Which is
Wonderful i'm its VilenesS.

The exceedingly disreputable house
on Kentucky street, west side, near
Main, furnishes an item to-day that is
horrible in its suggestions. The place
is kept by Mrs. Clara Parks, at one
time well-to-do, but who has grad
ually fallen and is now the associate OF
the vilest creatures of all colors. Her
house is the rendezvous for lewd
women and men, and the attention OF
the police has been frequently called
to the character of the den, as was
stated in the police court, this morn.
ing. The woman's husband, James
Parks. lives in the house, but
it is said, not with his wife, and in
fact, has notified the officers on sever
al occasions of the orgies being con.
Quoted by the frequenters Of the
place.
This morning, a little after mid
night, Officer James Gossage was no.
titled by brakeman that there was a
girl about fourteen years eff age at the
Parks dive, who bore every indication
of being there innocently and against
her will. The officer went to the
place and found slight girl, poorly
clad, who gave her name as Nellie
Sweeney. From. questions PROFOUND
ed her, it was elected that she lived
about three miles out in the
country, with her parents, and
had come to Sedalia last Sa'ur-
day on a visit to friends in Northwest
Sedalia. Yesterday, before the rain
storm, she was walking on Kentucky
street near Main, when some woman
in an upper window called to her.
She did not reply at first, but on
second call, went up stairs to where
the woman was. The woman, who is
Mrs. Clara Parks, made proposition
to the innocent girl to enter upon a
life of shame, and pictured to Nellie
in glowing colors the ease and hap
piness and rich raiment that would be
hers. The girl was going through
a novel experience, just then,
and the suddenness with
which the vile proposition came
upon her, benumbed her thinking
faculties. Before she could have
time to reject the offer, or collect her.
self enough to think of escape, or any
thing else, the storm came, and she
was perforce, compelled to remain in
the den.
After the rain the Parks woman
compelled Nellie to remain, and du-
ring the evening a number of men
were brought in, and an attempt was
made, through the assistance Of the
wretched procuress, to criminally
assault the child. 1t was successfully
resisted by her. Among the men was
the brakeman who took an early OPP
portunity to inform Gossage of the
state of affairs.
The officer took Nellie away from
the house, and secured room for her
at the Merchants Hotel. Soon after
Miss Sweeny had been put in safe
quarters, Gossage, with Officers
Mooney and Shobe, made a raid on the
Parks mansion, and were |. rewarded
by finding the landlady and a yellow
barber of East Sedalia, named Louis
in compromising positions.
The white woman and her colored /
companion were taken to the Gala
boose and locked up.
This morning, they were arranged
before Judge Levens, charged with
lewd conduct. Anderson made a
rambling statement as to how he
to be in Mrs, Parks room,
but it was proved that he was in
the habit of freguenting the place.
His wife, a smart-looking mulatto, who
has the reputation of being a good,
hard-working woman, stood behind
the railing, and asked the judge to be
IS easy with her recreant lord as
for she would pay the fine.
1t was suggested to her that she should
not thus encourage him in his associa-
ion with such white trash as the Parks
and should let him be i'm
prisoned and break rock. The idea
did not strike her favorably, as she
thought of her children, the offspring
Of Louis and herself, and she gave it
rs her opinion that they would find
out about his being in prison, and
would not. possibly, as to his associa-
ion with the miserable woman, who,
she said, "could get around anybody,
let alone the old man."
The judge imposed a fine of s25
On Anderson. As soon as his case
was ended. although Mrs. Parks was
booked for a trial on like charge,
City Marshal jackson served a war
rant on her, on complaint of Nellie
Sveenv. for enticipp a female under